Aboriginal Leadership Medal Recipients
- 2024 - Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs
- 2024 - Raylene Gellar
- 2023 - Yalmay Yunupingu
- 2022 - Elizabeth Yirrawala
- 2022 - Camille Lew Fatt
- 2021 - Bettina Danganbarr
- 2021 - Nadyezhda Pozzana
2024 - Merrikiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs
Department of Education
Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs has been the Co-Principal of Yirrkala School since 2017 and is highly regarded by her colleagues and the community.
As Co-Principal, Merrkiyawuy makes sure the school is culturally appropriate, the community is engaged, and the school is inclusive.
During her almost 30 years of service, Merrkiyawuy has worked in a variety of roles, including classroom and senior teacher roles and spent three years as a principal in training at Yirrkala School.
Merrkiyawuy also plays an active role in the professional development of Yolngu educators at the school, mentoring them and working alongside them in planning and curriculum delivery.
Merrkiyawuya also facilitates professional development workshops for Balanda and Yolngu staff at Yirrkala School and several other schools, including in the delivery of culturally appropriate Matha curriculum.
The school has a strong bi-lingual program and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
2024 - Raylene Gellar
Department of Education
Raylene Gellar has been the leading assistant teacher at Gunbalanya School since 1992 and has shown incredible dedication to the school and the wider community.
Throughout her career, Raylene has supported principals in navigating the complex intercultural spaces of remote Indigenous Schools and Communities.
She has been the driving force behind the school becoming the first and only remote independent public school in the Northern Territory.
Raylene worked with consultants to create a School Board Governance Guide and information videos for families in English and the Kunwinjku language to facilitate strong community engagement.
Raylene has been a key leader in the school's Two-Way Teaching and Learning approach, which is inspired by the creation of place-based, culturally relevant curriculum maps.
2023 - Yalmay Yunupingu
Department of Education
In 1974, Ms Yunupingu joined Yirrkala School as a librarian.
During almost 40 years working with East Arnhem children, Ms Yunupingu has been a librarian, early childhood and primary teacher, senior teacher, teacher linguist, acting principal and a significant contributor to projects and programs, retiring in early 2023.
Ms Yunupingu is known for her passion and deep commitment to the education of the children of Yirrkala, and her hard work to achieve the best possible outcomes for all Yolŋu children and young people.
Her care and commitment extends to parents, carers, the community and the whole NT education system.
2022 - Elizabeth Yirrawala
Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities
Elizabeth, fondly known as ‘Lizzie’ to her team, has worked with Territory Families since 2015. She’s a senior family safety worker with the Maningrida Women’s Safehouse.
Elizabeth is a proud Nakara woman and a traditional owner in her community. She has connections with most family and language groups in Maningrida and regularly steps in when other agencies need support.
Elizabeth played a vital role in reshaping the Maningrida Women’s Safehouse into a multi-faceted space for all women and children.
Her vision and hard work has helped empower local senior women to co-design a shared space that celebrates the strength and knowledge in the community.
She said, ‘We need to stop making domestic violence a secret. If we want our children to have a happy future, we need to start. Not today, not tomorrow, but yesterday.’
2022 - Camille Lew Fatt
Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment
Camille Lew Fatt is a local Aboriginal woman, born and raised in Darwin. She worked for OCPE for 13 years in the Aboriginal Employment and Career Development unit and from 2017-2022 was director.
Camille was an exceptional leader of her team and across the NTPS. She understood first-hand the challenges many of our Aboriginal employees face.
Recently Camille moved into a new role as Director of the Aboriginal Interpreter Service, within the Office of Aboriginal Affairs.
As a mum to three young daughters, Camille balances her role with her other commitments and goes ‘above and beyond’ to reach out to and mentor our Aboriginal employees to be successful in their work while maintaining their community and cultural obligations.
Camille is also Vice-President of her childcare provider and a director and Deputy Chair of Danila Dilba Health Service.
2021 - Bettina Danganbarr
NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services
Senior Aboriginal Community Police Officer Bettina Danganbarr is a well-respected senior Aboriginal leader, whose advice and guidance is sought from many people – both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal – across the Territory.
As part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Development Unit, Bettina’s role includes mentoring and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander police members and providing cultural guidance and engagement for the NTPFES more broadly.
Bettina’s ability to work in and across two worlds –Yolgnu and Balanda – means she can provide culturally appropriate responses to situations of conflict and a true community-engagement lens in the critical work police do in remote communities.
Her ability to respectfully navigate complex cultural scenarios is second to none, and the relationships she has formed across the tri-service is testament to her ability.
2021 - Nadyezhda Pozzana
Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet
Nadyezhda Pozzana is a nationally certified interpreter with the Aboriginal Interpreter Service. She has achieved the highest level of interpreting qualifications and works to national standards.
Nadyezhda is often called on for high-level interpreting assignments, including in the NT Parliament. She was the first Aboriginal interpreter to provide interpreting services in parliament in Australia.
She has been crucial to delivering Working with Interpreter Training to service providers that use AIS interpreters to deliver important services to Aboriginal people.
Nadyezhda has also delivered presentations at many conferences and events and is often called on to provide cultural advice, interpreting advice, interpreting leadership and to deliver presentations to service providers.
Nadyezhda is also a leader in ensuring the AIS is operating in a culturally sensitive manner. When casual AIS interpreters have passed away, Nadyezhda has taken full control of office smoking ceremonies.
